Page 10 of Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure

The next morning they were greeted with a breakfast of fresh baguette and apricot jam as well as milky coffee. Simple but satisfying.

“I remember how good the bread tastes here,” Miss Smith-Humphries said. “So how far do you think we will get today?”

“Let’s look at the map when we get back to the motor car,” Ellie said. “Not all the way to the coast, I’m pretty sure, but I hope we can stop beyond Lyon.”

They loaded up the car again, finding it untouched as the men had promised, and the two women in the front seat studied the map.

“I suppose it depends how fast we can go,” Ellie said. “If we have to go through many villages with narrow streets like this one, we will probably have to spend the night in Lyon.”

“One forgets that France is a big country, doesn’t one?” Miss Smith-Humphries said. “There are not many places in Britain that could not be reached in two days. The north of Scotland, maybe.”

Ellie turned back to Mavis. “You’re awfully quiet, Mavis. Are you not feeling well?”

“I’m all right, missus,” Mavis said. “I’m just not used to drinking wine, and I think it’s sinking in that I’m a long way from my home.”

“That’s true,” Miss Smith-Humphries said, “but would you rather be there or here?”

Mavis looked out of the window. It was another glorious autumn day. “Well, if you put it that way—I never thought I’d get to see a bit of the world before I died, and now I am. So I’d ruddy well better make the most of it, hadn’t I?”

“That’s the ticket,” Miss Smith-Humphries said. “Ready for adventure. And so am I.”

They set off, driving due south now, through the towns of Chalons and Dijon.

Ellie was coming to terms with driving on the right-hand side but drove extra carefully through busy streets.

Once in the countryside again, they rolled down their windows and enjoyed the warm air in their faces.

They approached the city of Lyon around four o’clock.

“I suppose we should find a hotel in the city,” Miss Smith-Humphries said.

“I doubt there will be any proper establishments on the other side of it until we get to Avignon. Last night’s inn was clean enough, but that bed—the springs creaked loudly every time I turned over, and the facilities were sadly lacking. ”

“I agree, but I’m anxious to reach the coast tomorrow if we can,” Ellie said. “Should we not take our chances again? No harm came to us from last night, and it was so cheap that it was almost embarrassing.”

“We are in your hands, Mrs Endicott,” Miss Smith-Humphries said, her voice cold enough to let Ellie know that she didn’t approve. Ellie noted the frigidity now in the car.

“That’s another thing,” Ellie replied. “Since we’ve now embarked on this adventure together, I think we should start to be less formal with each other.

Mavis’s name we know. I am Eleanor but have always gone by Ellie.

And your surname is a real mouthful, Miss Smith-Humphries.

May we know your Christian name?” She turned to the older woman.

“I suppose so.” Miss Smith-Humphries hesitated. “It’s Theodora.”

Mavis gave an unvoluntary splutter of amusement.

“I agree, Mavis, it is cumbersome,” she said, “but in my youth it was shortened to Dora, and I like that much better.”

“Dora,” Ellie said. “I like that, too.”

They came to the suburbs of the city, and ahead of them was the Rh?ne River, glinting in evening sunlight as it flowed south.

Luckily the main road south hugged the western bank and did not cross the river until well south of the city centre.

“It seems we have bypassed Lyon without meaning to,” Ellie said. “I must say I’m grateful. I was rather dreading it. But it also means we’ve passed any hotels. Do you mind if we press on? It’s still quite light.”

“Whatever you think is best,” Dora said. “I’m looking at the map, and I don’t see any big towns before Valence. But maybe there will be a small hotel, or we can even get as far as Avignon for the night.”

“Avignon!” Ellie let out a little sigh. Even the name sounded romantic. She started to hum “Sur le Pont d’Avignon.” Dora joined her, and they began to sing it out loud.

Feeling cheerful now, they drove south with the river flowing beside them. Barges came down with the current, and steep hills rose on either side. The light began to fade.

“We really should keep our eyes open for a hotel now,” Dora said. “I don’t like the idea of negotiating this road in the dark.”

Ellie looked at the dials in front of her. “Oh no. I’m afraid we should have filled up with petrol in Lyon,” she said. “We haven’t passed a garage for ages now.”

“I hope you don’t intend us to push,” Dora said. “Oh well, we’ve got Mavis to do it for us.”

“Here, just because ...” Mavis sat up, leaning forward.

“Just a joke, Mavis. Meant to lighten the mood.” Dora looked back at her and patted her hand.

“Oh, all right. Bob’s your uncle.” Mavis sank back into her seat.

Darkness fell. Headlights of occasional passing cars flashed in their faces and were gone.

Their own headlights lit up the churning waters of the river, flowing beside them, as the road wound along the bank.

It was flowing awfully fast. Ellie felt a knot in her stomach.

Then they came around another bend and saw lights ahead.

“Thank God,” Ellie said.

They drove into a small settlement. There were houses with lighted windows, a bakery, now closed, a bar with several men sitting outside and then a garage with two petrol pumps.

Ellie came to a halt at one of them as an attendant came running out and started unscrewing the cap. “You wish it filled, madame?” he asked.

Ellie nodded. “Please.”

“I think we should all use the facilities if they have them,” Ellie said. “Why don’t you go while I stay with the motor?”

She wound down the window and sat in the darkness, smelling the watery smell of the river mixed with the odours of petrol and the herby scent of French cigarettes.

From one of the houses, a radio was blaring out a woman singing in a nasal voice.

There was also the scent of frying onions, reminding Ellie that they hadn’t eaten for some time.

But there didn’t seem to be a café in the village, just the bar, which didn’t look too welcoming.

The attendant finished pumping. She handed him money, and he shuffled off towards the building at the back to deposit it.

As Ellie looked around, her gaze moved to the lorry that had pulled up at the pump beside her.

A man got out and headed off into the darkness, presumably obeying the call of nature.

Ellie noticed a movement in the cab window and looked up.

A young girl’s face stared back at her—a face white with terror—and the girl mouthed something.

Without hesitating, Ellie got out and went over to the lorry. She opened the door.

“Are you all right?”

“Aidez-moi. Help me,” the girl said in French. “He will be back soon.”

“You don’t wish to travel with him?” Ellie asked. “He is not your father?”

“No,” the girl said. “I accepted a lift from him. But then he started saying what we would do when we find a hotel for the night. Awful things. And I couldn’t run away because I have nowhere to run.”

“Then come with us,” Ellie said. “We’ll take you safely where you need to go.”

“Really? Oh, God bless you, madame.” She was already beginning to climb down.

“Do you have your bags?”

“Only this small bag behind my seat.” She reached for it and scrambled out as if she couldn’t get away fast enough.

“Get into the back seat of my car.” Ellie opened the back door. “It will be a bit cramped but better than the alternative. See if you can crouch down on the floor.” As the girl climbed in, Ellie covered her with the travel rug, then placed a hatbox on top of her. “Don’t move,” she said.

At that moment, Dora and Mavis returned.

“You won’t believe what we’ve just had to do,” Mavis said as they approached. “The toilet was a hole in the ground. I’m not joking. Just two boards on either side of a hole. That was it. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. Nowhere to put me bum.”

“I’m afraid it was terribly primitive,” Dora said. “I don’t know if you want to use it, Ellie.”

“I won’t use it now,” Ellie said. “I want to be away from here as quickly as possible. Get in, please.”

“Why, Ellie, what’s wrong?” Dora asked.

“I’ll explain later. We just need to drive on before a man comes back.”

“Gracious. What on earth?” Dora said as she took her seat, and Ellie hurriedly closed the door behind her.

She assisted Mavis in, then returned to the driver’s seat.

The car started, and they eased out towards the road.

They had to wait for a passing car and were about to turn on to the road when they heard a shout.

The man had returned to his lorry and found the passenger gone.

He came over to them—a big, burly man in blue overalls.

“Hey, you.” He banged on the bonnet of the car. “Have you seen where the girl went?”

Ellie rolled down her window, staring at him angrily. “I’m sorry,” she said in clipped English tones, “I’m afraid we do not speak French. But do not touch my motor car.”

“Fille. Jeune fille.” The man waved his hands, trying to indicate a girl.

Ellie shook her head. “I’m sorry we can’t help you. Don’t speak French.” She spoke the words slowly and distinctly, shaking her head.

The man moved closer, peering into the back of the Bentley. He saw Dora in the front seat, Mavis with several cases piled on the seat beside her.

“I don’t know what you want, but please go away.

” Ellie gave him her haughtiest stare. “Go away, or I will call the manager or the gendarmes.” She shooed him like a chicken.

He ran off, checking out where the girl could have gone.

Ellie put her foot on the accelerator, and they drove into the darkness as fast as she dared.

“What on earth was that about?” Dora asked. “Did that man try to accost you when we were away? What an unpleasant individual.”

Suddenly Mavis gave a scream. “Something touched me. There’s something alive here.”

“It’s all right, Mavis,” Ellie said. “We have a girl hiding in the back seat. She was being kidnapped by the driver of that lorry.”

“Blimey,” Mavis said.

“All is well, mademoiselle. You are safe. You can come out now,” she said in French. “Help her up, Mavis,” she continued in English. Mavis removed the hatbox and the rug, and the girl emerged, looking around her in wonder.

“Have you lost all reason?” Dora demanded. “Driving off with a strange girl in the car? You know nothing about her. She could have been with a relative or even a husband, and you could be the one who finds herself accused of kidnapping.”

“She looked terrified, Dora. I saw her staring out of that window. She beckoned me over and begged me to help her before he came back. She said she’d accepted a lift from him, but now he was starting to talk about his awful plans for her when they went to a hotel together. I couldn’t leave her there, could I?”

“I suppose not,” Dora said. “But I do ask myself whether it is wise to get ourselves mixed up in something that is none of our business in a foreign country.”

She turned back to the girl. “What is your name, ma fille?” she asked in her stilted, anglicized French.

“Yvette, madame,” the girl replied in scarcely more than a whisper.

“Well, Yvette, why did you agree to travel with this man? Did you know him?”

“No, madame. I was just trying to head south, and he came along and offered me a ride. It was all right to start with. He bought me some food. But then it got dark, and he said we’d go to a hotel together and I could repay him for taking me. He asked if I was a virgin, and he said awful things.”

“I’m so sorry, my dear,” Ellie said. “So why did you need a ride? Are you running away from home?”

“I had to leave my home in a hurry, madame,” Yvette said. “I was not wanted there. I thought I’d go south, where it was warm and pleasant, and maybe find work in one of the resorts on the C?te d’Azur.”

“Should you not be in school?” Dora asked.

“I am seventeen, madame. I come from a farm. There was little opportunity to go to school when I had to help with the farm chores. My father was a strict man.”

“Well, Yvette, you are safely with three English ladies, and we are driving to the C?te d’Azur, so you can ride with us. And when we arrive, you can decide what you want to do.”

“You are too good, madame,” Yvette said. “You are angels of mercy. God will reward you.”

“Here,” Mavis said, having sat silent as the conversation in French went on around her. “Will someone explain to me what the devil’s going on?”